LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Kids’ agency should bide its time

You can sympathize with the financial plight of Lucas County Children Services (“Let voters decide,” editorial, July 14). However, considering that the agency cites declining property values as one of the primary reasons for its proposed tax increase, its timing is odd, because the county auditor’s office is preparing for the mandated 2015 review of local property values.

If property valuations increase as expected — and based on the significant increase in home sales over the past couple of years, they most likely will — all existing levies will generate more money at their current millage.

Although this valuation increase may not eliminate Children Services’ budget shortfall, it would allow the agency to ask for a smaller increase in millage.

Because the current levy does not expire until 2016, Children Services should wait until after next year’s county tax review. Then the agency will have a more accurate financial outlook before it asks for a levy renewal.

Toledo is dealing with a blight issue that’s mostly a visual problem. We who live adjacent to U.S. 24, between the Fallen Timbers monument and I-475, have a blight problem, but it’s about traffic noise (“ODOT: Noise walls not needed; U.S. 24 in Waterville-Napoleon area studied,” July 15).

This noise makes our properties less valuable. And it adversely affects our health and well-being.

The Ohio Department of Transportation claims that the noise is not great enough to require a wall to be built. ODOT also says that not enough people would benefit from a wall. But the cost of a wall would be the same no matter how many houses were behind it.

FRANK JOHNOFF

Monclova Township

Bad attitude hurts anti-blight effort

I was following a car recently on Stickney Avenue when we came to a stoplight. Out the window of the car ahead of me came the remains of a fast-food lunch: paper plates, cups, sacks, and napkins, falling to the pavement.

The driver could see my dismay as I shook my head. He mocked my concern.

If Toledo is to become a blight-free city, the too-prevalent attitude of “let someone else clean up my mess” must go.

JOHN LAUDICK

Scottwood Avenue

Respect creation by not littering

Youths have been seen tossing out beer cans and cigarettes before arriving at their homes — to avoid parents’ awareness of their habits, I’m sure.

Before the school year begins, I hope families, churches, schools, and businesses promote this message about the serious wrongs of littering: Our environment is God’s creation; we should respect it.